10Best Day Trip: Explore Tampa

Need a day to get away? Head out to the lovely city of Tampa for an exciting day of animals, science and tasty treats. Just a little over an hour away from Orlando, Tampa is the perfect place for a day trip.

Start the day off at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo with more than 1,500 animals housed in lush natural habitats. This isn't just any zoo experience either. They have a plethora of animal interactions including giraffe feedings, white rhino feedings, camel rides and a wallaroo petting zoo.

The Lime is a modern Mexican eatery with the best of traditional Mexican fare in addition to fresh and healthy vegetable bowls, sushi style sandwich rolls and tapas. Sit, relax and sip on a margarita while fresh guacamole is prepared tableside. Not a margarita lover? No problem, The Lime has 22 craft beers on tap to complement any menu item you choose.

Romp around like a child while playing with the MOSI's 450 hands-on activities. As the largest science center in the Southeastern United States, MOSI offers over 400,000 square feet of permanent interactive exhibits. Don't miss the High Wire Bike experience where guests ride along a 98-foot-long steel cable suspended 30 feet above the ground.

You don't have to take my word for it. The Florida Aquarium was named as one of the top five “Kid-Friendly Aquariums” by Parents Magazine. And it's not hard to see why as it showcases the aquatic animals and ecosystems of Florida and around the world. We're talking wetlands, bays and beaches, coral reefs and oceans. Brave souls can even dive with the sharks and come face-to-beak with a colony of penguins.

Channelside is a collection of all things entertaining, including dining, retail, bowling, movies and dueling pianos. Do a little window shopping on your way to dinner, sit by the water and enjoy the breeze blowing off the bay or enjoy a cocktail at one of the outdoor bars.

If you are a sushi fan, Oishi Sushi & Hibachi Grill is the place for you. Creative takes on authentic Japanese rolls include the Pink Lady (crunchy spicy tuna, asparagus and spicy masago sauce) and the Tempura Bagel roll, which is salmon, avocado, and cream cheese that is deep-fried and topped with spicy mayo and sweet eel sauce. Yum.

When Sarah's not zigzagging around the planet – swimming with sea lions in the Galapagos Islands, scaling glaciers in Iceland or roaming through remote jungles in India – she's writing about her adventures, the environment, fitness, health/wellness, extraordinary people and social injustice issues.
Sarah's written for USA Today, ISLANDS, Sherman’s Travel, Caribbean Travel & Life, Cayman Airways Skies, American Eagle Latitudes, Orlando Sentinel, abcnews.com, Where Orlando, Where First Coast, nileguide.com, tripatlas.com, Upscale and Wild Blue Yonder.

She's also an editor and photographer, and has a strong background in public relations. She has a real knack for rounding up facts, making deadlines, project-juggling, storytelling, and wiggling her ears (which she claims hasn’t come in handy yet).